I might as well cross-post this from my LiveJournal...

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The number 86 seems to have a lot of significance in New England sports. Consider the following...

- The last time the Boston Celtics won an NBA title? 1986. It was also the year Larry Bird ruled all, earning regular season and postseason MVP honors in '85-'86, as well as being crowned the 3-point king the following season.
- On February 3, 2002, the New England Patriots won their first Super Bowl. Tom Brady was the MVP, and he threw one touchdown pass against the St. Louis Rams that day. It was to David Patten, whose jersey number happens to be 86.
- The first time the Patriots even made the Super Bowl was on January 26, 1986. They got crushed by the Chicago Bears, of course, but their leading receiver on the day was a guy named Stanley Morgan. He too, wore jersey number 86.
- Cam Neely, beloved by Boston Bruins fans, was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in 1986.
- Marvelous Marvin Hagler, a native of Massachusetts, defended his middleweight boxing title for the last time in 1986.
- The Red Sox last appeared in the World Series in 1986. We all remember what happened there...
- It's been 86 years now since the Red Sox last won a World Series title. 1918 was the last year they brought home a winner.
- In this series, the Red Sox and Yankees combined to score <i>exactly</i> 86 runs. If you don't believe me, do the math... 10-7, 3-1, 19-8, 6-4, 5-4, 4-2, 10-3. 17 + 4+ 27 + 10 + 9 + 6 + 13 = 86

This has gotta be some kind of cosmic harmonic convergance of some sort. Perhaps now the Red Sox will 86 the curse?